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Meaningful Measures
Session 113, February 13, 2019
Michelle Schreiber, M.D., Director of the Quality Measurement and Value-based Incentives
Group, CMS
Reena Duseja, M.D., M.S. Chief Medical Officer, Quality Measurement and Value-Based
Incentives Group, CMS
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Michelle Schreiber, M.D.
Reena Duseja, M.D., M.S.
Have no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.
Conflict of Interest
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Introduction
Meaningful Measures
New Approach to Meaningful Outcomes
Four Strategic Goals
Objectives
Framework
Progress to Date
Next Steps
Resources
Question & Answer Session
Agenda
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1. Understand the purposes of the Meaningful Measures initiative
2. Learn about the Meaningful Measures framework and how CMS
uses it to streamline quality measures across its quality reporting
programs
3. Obtain feedback on how to update and improve the Meaningful
Measures framework to focus on measures that matter most to
clinicians and patients
Learning Objectives
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CMS’s Primary Goal: Remove obstacles that get in the way of
the time clinicians spend with their patients
Patients Over Paperwork
Shows CMS’s commitment to patient-centered care and
improving beneficiary outcomes
Includes several major tasks aimed at reducing burden for
clinicians
Motivates CMS to evaluate its regulations to see what could
be improved
Introduction
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What is Meaningful Measures Initiative?
Launched in 2017, the purpose of the Meaningful Measures
initiative is to:
Improve outcomes for patients
Reduce data reporting burden and costs on clinicians and
other health care providers
Focus CMS’s quality measurement and improvement efforts
to better align with what is most meaningful to patients
A New Approach to Meaningful Outcomes
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Why Implement the Meaningful Measures Initiative?
There are too many measures and disparate measures
Administrative burden of reporting
Lack of simplified ways to focus on critical areas that matter most
for clinicians and patients
Promote alignment across continuum and across payers
Promote innovation in new types of measures
A New Approach to Meaningful Outcomes
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Empower patients
and doctors to make
decisions about their
health care
Support innovative
approaches to improve
quality, accessibility,
and affordability
Usher in a new era
of state flexibility
and local leadership
Improve the CMS
customer
experience
Meaningful
Measures: Guided
by Four Strategic
Goals
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Meaningful Measures focus on everyone’s efforts on the same quality
areas and lend specificity, which can help identify measures that:
Meaningful Measures Objectives
Address high-impact
measure areas that
safeguard public
health
Are patient-centered
and meaningful to
patients, clinicians and
providers
Are outcome-based
where possible
Fulfill requirements
in programs’
statutes
Minimize level of
burden for providers
Identify significant
opportunity for
improvement
Address measure
needs for population
based payment
through alternative
payment models
Align across programs
and/or with other
payers
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Meaningful Measure Areas Achieve
High quality healthcare
Meaningful outcomes for patients
Meaningful Measures Framework
Criteria meaningful for patients and actionable for providers
Draws on measure work by:
Health Care Payment Learning
and Action Network
National Quality Forum- High
Impact Outcomes
National Academy of Medicine
IOM Vital signs Core Metrics
Includes perspectives from
experts and external
stakeholders:
Core Quality Measures
Collaborative
Agency for Healthcare
Research
and Quality
Many other external
stakeholders
Quality Measures
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KEY LEVERS
Vision for Quality Reporting
Relevant,
actionable data
is accessible to
a variety of
audiences
Patients and
caregivers have
access to data
An enterprise-
wide strategy
for measure
selection
focuses on
patient-
centered,
outcome, and
longitudinal
measures
Infrastructure
supports
development
of health IT
enabled
measures
Aligned and
streamlined policies
and processes for
quality reporting and
value based
purchasing programs
CMS demonstration
programs have
flexibility
to test innovative
models, while
maintaining a desired
end state of
alignment with legacy
CMS programs
Ongoing, timely
information is
provided to health
care professionals
Data collection and
exchange is low
burden
Quality measure data
is fed into planning
and implementation
of quality
improvement
initiatives
Measures
development begins
from a person-
centered perspective
Involve patients and
caregivers in measure
development and
public reporting efforts
Involve first-line health
care professionals on
the front line are
involved in measure
development,
implementation, and
data feedback
processes
Aligned Quality
Reporting and
Value-based
Purchasing
Aligned
Measure
Portfolio
Optimize Public
Reporting
Strengthen/Facilitate
Interoperability
Engage Patients
and Providers
Meaningful Measures
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
Promote Effective Communication
& Coordination of Care
Meaningful Measure Areas:
Medication Management
Admissions and
Readmissions to Hospitals
Transfer of Health Information
and Interoperability
Promote Effective Prevention
& Treatment of Chronic Disease
Meaningful Measure Areas:
Preventive Care
Management of Chronic Conditions
Prevention, Treatment, and Management
of Mental Health
Prevention and Treatment of Opioid and
Substance Use Disorders
Risk Adjusted Mortality
Work With Communities to Promote
Best Practices of Healthy Living
Meaningful Measure Areas:
Equity of Care
Community Engagement
Make Care Affordable
Meaningful Measure Areas:
Appropriate Use of Healthcare
Patient-focused Episode
of Care
Risk Adjusted Total Cost of Care
Make Care Safer by Reducing Harm
Caused in the Delivery of Care
Meaningful Measure Areas:
Healthcare-Associated Infections
Preventable Healthcare Harm
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
Strengthen Person & Family
Engagement as Partners in their Care
Meaningful Measure Areas:
Care is Personalized and
Aligned with Patients Goals
End of Life Care according
to Preferences
Patients Experience of Care
Patient Reported
Functional Outcomes
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
Improve CMS Customer Experience
Support State Flexibility and Local
Leadership Support Innovative
Approaches
Empower Patients
and Doctors
SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC HEALTH
TRACK TO
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
& IMPACT
ACHIEVE
COST
SAVINGS
IMPROVE ACCESS
FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES
REDUCE
BURDEN
EMLIMINATE
DISPARITIES
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MEANINGFUL MEASURE AREAS:
Promote Effective Communication &
Coordination of Care
MEDICATION MANAGEMENT
Use of High Risk Medications in the
Elderly - QPP
Medication Reconciliation Post-
Discharge - MSSP
Annual Monitoring for Patients on
Persistent Medications (MPM) - QRS
Drug Regimen Review Conducted with
Follow-Up for Identified Issues - IRF
QRP, LTCH QRP, SNF QRP, HH QRP
Measures
Standardized Readmission
Ratio (SRR) - ESRD QIP
Plan All-Cause Readmissions -
Medicaid & CHIP
ADMISSIONS AND
READMISSIONS TO
HOSPITALS
Measures
Use of an Electronic Health
Record - IPFQR, QIO
TRANSFER OF HEALTH
INFORMATION
AND INTEROPERABILITY
Measures
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Promote Effective Communication &
Coordination of Care
Programs Using Illustrative Measures
Quality Payment Program
(QPP)
Medicare Shared Savings
Program (MSSP)
Health Insurance Marketplace
Quality Rating System (QRS)
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility
Quality Reporting Program (IRF
QRP)
Skilled Nursing Facility Quality
Reporting Program (SNF QRP)
Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting
Program (LTCH QRP)
Home Health Quality Reporting Program
(HH QRP)
End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive
Program (ESRD QIP)
Medicaid and CHIP (Medicaid & CHIP)
Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality
Reporting (IPFQR) Program
Quality Improvement Organization (QIO)
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MEANINGFUL MEASURE AREAS:
Promote Effective Prevention & Treatment of
Chronic Disease
Measures
Follow-up after
Hospitalization for
Mental Illness -
IPFQR
Measures
Alcohol Use
Screening -
IPFQR
Use of Opioids at
High Dosage -
Medicaid & CHIP
Measures
Hospital 30-Day,
All Cause, Risk-
Standardized
Mortality Rate
(RSMR) Following
Heart Failure (HF)
Hospitalization -
HVBP
Measures
Osteoporosis
Management in
Women Who Had a
Fracture - QPP
Hemoglobin A1c
Test
for Pediatric
Patients (eCQM) -
Medicaid & CHIP
Measures
Influenza
Immunization
Received for
Current Flu Season
- HH QRP
Timeliness of
Prenatal Care
(PPC) - Medicaid &
CHIP
Well-Child Visits in
the First
15 Months of Life (6
or More Visits) -
Medicaid & CHIP
RISK
ADJUSTED
MORTALITY
PREVENTION
AND
TREATMENT OF
OPIOID AND
SUBSTANCE
USE
DISORDERS
PREVENTION,
TREATMENT, AND
MANAGEMENT
OF MENTAL
HEALTH
MANAGEMENT
OF CHRONIC
CONDITIONS
PREVENTIVE
CARE
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Promote Effective Communication &
Coordination of Care
Programs Using Illustrative Measures
Quality Payment Program (QPP)
Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP)
Medicaid and CHIP (Medicaid & CHIP)
Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting (IPFQR)
Program
Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) Program
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The Meaningful Measures initiative:
Aligns with existing quality reporting programs and helps programs to
identify and select individual measures
Allows clinicians and other health care providers to focus on patients and
improve quality of care in ways that are meaningful to them
Intends to capture the most impactful and highest priority quality
improvement areas for all clinicians including specialists
Is used to guide rulemaking, measures under construction lists, and
impact assessments
Getting to Measures that Matter
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From Vision to Reality: Progress to Date
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CMS is implementing the Meaningful Measures framework
through the following:
Measures Under Consideration(MUC) List for Medicare quality reporting
and value-based purchasing programs
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment
System (IPPS) and Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective
Payment System Proposed Rule
Quality Payment Program Year 3 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
MACRA Funding Opportunity to Develop Measures for Quality Payment
Program
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Call for Measures and
Activities for 2019 and 2020
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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MUC Lists
Last year, narrowed the initial 184 measures submitted during the open
call for measures to 32 measures (83% reduction); this reduced
stakeholder review efforts
The 32 measures:
Focus on achieving high quality health care and meaningful
outcomes for patients, while minimizing burden
Have the potential to drive improvement in quality across numerous
settings of care, including clinician practices, hospitals, and dialysis
facilities
This year, experienced lower measure submissions because CMS was
able to articulate the specific types of measures we were looking for; this
reduced CMS and stakeholder review efforts
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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In the FY 19 Medicare Hospital IPPS and LTCH Prospective
Payment System Proposed Rule, CMS proposed:
Eliminating a total of 19 measures (and decreasing duplication for an
additional 21 measures) that acute care hospitals are currently required to
report across the 5 hospital quality and value-based purchasing programs
Removing 8 of the 16 CQMs to produce a smaller set of more meaningful
measures and in alignment with the Hospital IQR Program beginning with
the 2020 reporting period
Removing certain measures that do not emphasize interoperability and the
electronic exchange of health information
Adding new measures, such as Query of the PDMP and Verify Opioid
Treatment Agreement, related to e-prescribing of opioids
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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In the Quality Payment Program Year 3 NPRM, CMS proposed:
Removing low-value and low-priority process measures
Focusing on meaningful quality outcomes for patients
Moving clinicians to a smaller set of Objectives and Measures with scoring
based on performance for the Promoting Interoperability performance
category
Using the “ABC™ methodology” for public reporting on Physician
Compare, to determine benchmarks on historical data to provide clinicians
and groups with valuable information about the benchmark before data
collection starts for the performance period; the goal is to help make
measures more meaningful to patients and caregivers
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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MACRA Funding Opportunity to Develop Measures for Quality
Payment Program:
Accepting applications for a new funding opportunity to develop, improve,
update, and expand quality measures for the Quality Payment Program
Partnering directly with clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders
through cooperative agreements to provide up to $30 million of funding
and technical assistance in development of quality measures over 3 years
Aligning the priority measures developed, improved, updated or expanded
under the cooperative agreements with the CMS Quality Measure
Development Plan and the Meaningful Measures framework
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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MACRA Funding Opportunity to Develop Measures for Quality
Payment Program (continued):
The cooperative agreements prioritize the development of outcome
measures, including patient reported outcome and functional status
measures; patient experience measures; care coordination measures; and
measures of appropriate use of services, including measures of overuse
The goal is for CMS to provide the necessary support to help external
organizations expand the Quality Payment Program quality measures
portfolio with a focus on clinical and patient perspectives and
minimizing burden for clinicians
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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MIPS Call for Measures and Activities
Each year, CMS solicits feedback from the stakeholder community about
new measures and activities for MIPS. This year, CMS invited submissions
on:
Quality measures for 2020
Promoting Interoperability measures for 2020
Improvement Activities for 2019
CMS reviews the measure and activities submissions with the Meaningful
Measures framework in mind, focusing on those that promote better
outcomes for patients and reduced burden on clinicians.
Meaningful Measures: Progress to Date
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Future of the Meaningful
Measures Initiative and Next
Steps
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Appropriate use of opioids and avoidance of harm
Nursing home safety measures
Interoperability and care transitions
Appropriate use of services
Patient-reported outcome measures
Meaningful Measure Development
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Developing more APIs for quality measure data submission
Prototype the use of the FHIR standard for quality measurement
Interoperable electronic registries incentivizing use
Harmonizing measures across registries
Timely and actionable feedback to providers
Working with CMMI on use of artificial intelligence to predict
outcomes
Ideal Future State for Meaningful
Measures
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Address three dimensions of implementation:
1. Conduct a thorough review of existing measures and remove those
that do not meet criteria
2. Develop meaningful measures to fill gap areas
3. Work to reduce the burden of reporting
Continue to solicit stakeholder input to further improve the Meaningful
Measures framework
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK!
MeaningfulMeasuresQA@cms.hhs.gov
Meaningful Measures Next Steps
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Go to:
https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-
Instruments/QualityInitiativesGenInfo/CMS-Quality-Strategy.html
Meaningful Measures Website
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Meaningful Measures Fact Sheets
https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-
Instruments/QualityInitiativesGenInfo/MMF/Shareable-Tools.html
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Where to Find Meaningful Measures
CMS Measures Inventory Tool: cmit.cms.gov
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Michelle Schreiber, M.D., Director of the Quality
Measurement and Value-based Incentives Group, CMS
Reena Duseja, M.D., M.S. Chief Medical Officer, Quality
Measurement and Value-Based Incentives Group, CMS
MeaningfulMeasuresQA@cms.hhs.gov
Questions